Page 31 of Grim

“You teach her that?”

“I’d like to take the credit, but I’m not so sure.” I shrugged. “I think it comes kind of naturally or something.”

“That kind of thing doesn’t just come naturally. It’s all you, and you should be proud of that.” He looked over at Luna as he stated, “You should be proud of her.”

“Oh, I’m over-the-moon proud of her. She’s the only thing I’ve done right in this world.”

“I highly doubt that.”

“It’s true.” I ran my hand through my hair, brushing it from my face. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”

“But you are sitting here. Things might not be going your way, but you’re alive and well, and your daughter is, too. You’re doing alright.”

“I have no job. No money. And...”

“But you’re trying. There are plenty of folks who would’ve given up a long time ago, so give yourself credit where credit is due.”

“I guess.” I got the feeling that there was something he wasn’t saying, but Grim didn’t seem like the kind of man who could be easily persuaded, especially when it came to talking about things he didn’t want to talk about. I wasn’t sure if he would tell me, but I felt inclined to say, “You mentioned that there was a time when someone had helped you and your mother out.”

“Yeah?”

“Was she trying like I’m trying?”

“She was.” His expression softened. “Like you, she wanted to give her kid a good life, but it seemed like there was always something standing in her way—until she met Gus.”

“Gus?”

“He’s the president of Satan’s Fury in Memphis. He crossed paths with my mother at a diner that they ran. He gave her a job and place to stay until she got on her feet.”

“Sounds like a good guy.”

“He is.” His lips curled into a slight smile as he said, “He made a real impression on me back then. So much so, I decided to join the MC.”

“Wow, that’s some story.”

“Yeah, and one day, Luna will have a story like mine.”

“I hope that’s true.”

“It will be. Just wait and see.”

We went back to watching TV, and I’d all but forgotten that he’d ordered pizza until I heard a knock at the door. Grim stood and twisted his back, cracking his spine as he announced, “That must be the pizza.”

I figured he might need some help with the boxes, so I followed him into the kitchen and waited as he opened the door. The delivery guy stepped in, balancing two large pizza boxes precariously in one hand while clutching a receipt in the other. “That’ll be thirty-seven fifty.”

Grim took the boxes and placed them on the center of the table, then grabbed some money from his wallet and offered it to the delivery guy. “That should cover it.”

"Thanks, man.” The kid took the wad of cash and shoved it in his back pocket. “You folks have a good one!”

"You, too.”

I watched with curiosity as Grim opened the pizza box, revealing a steaming hot pizza topped with various meats and cheeses, and the sight had my mouth watering. Noting my expression, Grim smiled and asked, "Looks good, huh?"

When I nodded, he chuckled.

The man actually chuckled.

I couldn’t get over it. If I didn’t know better, I’d say an entirely different man had come into the room, and this man was smiling as he placed a slice on a plate. Smiling! I almost felt like I had whiplash when he offered the plate to me and said, “It’s the best in town.”

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